TREND Talk

Branding, Logos and Their Trends

Having been an older adult (late 30’s) in college had a few perks. I had some serious living under my belt. At this point in my life I had decorated and sustained a household for over a decade. I had also been trying to keep up with fashion trends to fit in and adorn my body for over three decades. I believe this history helped me to see trend patterns. My favorite project in college was one that was an open assignment. I chose to explore design and visual trends, I researched colors, patterns and logos by decade. It was an enlightening experience and helped me to understand cultural trends and counter trends.

It also helped me to realize the role that home decor, fashion and other lifestyle trends play in the creating and sustaining of logo design trends.

When referring to home decor trends, Christina Harmon, an interior designer in Washington, DC, says

Proliferation is a sign of death in the design world

Designer and author Kathryn Scott agrees: “A trend is on the way out when you start seeing it in hotel rooms and offices to restaurants and Pottery Barn—and you think to yourself, ‘I really need a break from this.'”

When a trendy pattern such as the chevron or pineapples starts cropping up in multiple media (think home decor and clothing and office supplies), “it’s a sign of death,” Harmon says.

“It’s been selling well for a while so big retailers are splattering it on everything,” she says. “As soon as it’s done blowing up, it’s over.”

“Every season, magazines want what’s new, but most people don’t shop that way,” Scott notes.

In fact, even the experts agree that following trends can be unsustainable; once everyone freaks out about, say, charcoal and eggplant, the pendulum swings back to light and bright. And then there’s the obvious: Changing up your home decor to follow every of-the-moment design whim can be exhausting and expensive.

Perhaps the best real-life advice?

Find a style you like, stick to it, and freshen it up when you get bored

And keep Harmon’s motto in mind: “No matter what, at the end of the day, if you like it, keep it.”

I would totally apply these same principles to logo design. In my research I noticed graphic design trends used to have a longer season than lifestyle trends, but with the advancement of technology, I believe that visual trends shelf life has shortened.